This retrospective analysis evaluated 25 patients with benign polypoid lesions and 2 cases with malignant polyps of the gallbladder who had undergone cholecystectomy at Belén Hospital, Trujillo, Perú, from January, 1966 through December, 1993 in a attempt to elucidate the clinicopathological aspects of these patients. Cholelithiasis and cholesterolosis were present as associated findings in about 68% and 12% of patients respectively. The median age was of 48.8 +/- 15 years, the male:female ratio was 1:4, a right upper quadrant pain was the most common symptom (100%) and nonvisualization of a diseased gallbladder was seen in about 44% of cholecystograms. Microscopically, the lesions were classified as follow: Hyperplasias (n = 11), adenomas (n = 10), cholesterol polyps (n = 2), inflammatory polyps (n = 2) and malignant polyps (n = 2). Seventy six percent of benign lesions measured less than 0.5 cm and 12% were multiple lesions. The average diameter of malignant polyps was larger than 3 cm. We concluded that the benign epithelial tumors of the gallbladder are extremely rare cases and the treatment of choice for adenomatous polyps should be surgical for the possibility of developing malignant transformation.